Bronze plays full match in emphatic England win

Lucy Bronze and her England teammates moved a step closer to next year’s World Cup in Canada with an emphatic 9-0 qualifying victory over Montenegro this afternoon.

The Group 6 leaders made it five wins out of five, thanks to a Toni Duggan hat-trick and goals from Eniola Aluko, Jill Scott, Karen Carney, Lianne Sanderson, Demi Stokes and Natasha Dowie.

The convincing triumph was no less than The Three Lions expected, against a developing Montenegro side who are bottom of the table and 77 places below England in the Fifa world rankings.

Bronze, from Alnwick, partnered captain Steph Houghton in the centre of defence and played the full 90 minutes of the game, at Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium.

The 22-year-old Liverpool Ladies player, who has become a regular for her country, helped continue England’s fine defensive record in this qualifying campaign, with The Three Lions yet to concede a goal.

England face a tougher test in their next match, when they host Ukraine at Shrewsbury Town on May 8.